6.1.11.5 Conducting the Search

Date Published

On reaching an agreed search strategy, in consultation with other search strategy team members, the search examiner will ordinarily immediately carry out any aspects of the search strategy where it is practicable to do so. These aspects of the search may include inter alia a USPTO, ESP@CE, EPOQUE, AU search (full or non-Convention) or a non-patent literature search (see 6.1.10. Non-Patent Literature and 4.4.3.3 Non-Patent Literature).

Note that in many cases, an applicant/inventor name search will also be required.  It is the responsibility of the three person team to determine during the development of the search strategy, whether one of the identified exceptions, applies (see 4.3.6 Applicant and/or Inventor Name Searching).

The search strategy should be regularly reviewed during the search process given interim search results; see also 4.5 Conducting the search.

Where some abstracts are in a foreign language and the search examiner requires assistance with that language, the examiner may use the services of a suitable examiner (see 6.1.16 Assistance with Foreign Languages and 6.10.5 Examiners with Foreign Language Capabilities) or may utilise an online translation tool.